Kraken (kɹæ'kɛn)
Kraken are predatory Titans native to the Unknown Sea. They make their homes on the seafloor, rooting themselves in place like anemones, and rarely move from their spots.
The distinguishing feature of a kraken is its many long tentacles. These tentacles can grow to be thousands of feet long, reaching all the way from the seafloor to the surface of the water. Despite their length, the kraken maintains fine control over these appendages, and it is theorized that each tentacle has its own complex nervous system allowing for independent action. However, the length takes its toll, and it is very easy to break a tentacle off from the kraken—though the tentacle can continue to act on its own for several hours after being severed.
Kraken have two types of primary appendages. The larger, but less plentiful, tentacles are able to grab prey and drag them into the depths, though their strength is not noteworthy. These tentacles, as well as the kraken's main body, are dark in color and ringed with bright, bioluminescent stripes. The more plentiful tendrils are translucent and as thin as whips, and carry a highly dangerous venom.
On contact with a victim, the whiplike tentacles can transfer a high dose of venom to the kraken's prey. This venom has an intoxicating effect, resulting in slow reaction time, weakness, lessened ability to sense pain and fear, and loopiness. Most relevantly, those affected have an uncontrollable urge to chase after bright colors and lights, including the kraken's own bioluminescent stripes.
With prey secured and lacking the desire to escape, the kraken can drag it down to its mouth without fear of injury or losing its prey. Due to their large size, kraken need to eat almost constantly, and will try to consume any creature that enters their reach.
Kraken are not strictly motionless. They have several small foot-like appendages at their base, buried in substrate, which allow for locomotion. However, moving runs the risk of breaking tentacles as the kraken grows, and since little short of a Deep Sea Serpent can pose a threat to a sufficiently large kraken, they seldom have reason to migrate.
The distinguishing feature of a kraken is its many long tentacles. These tentacles can grow to be thousands of feet long, reaching all the way from the seafloor to the surface of the water. Despite their length, the kraken maintains fine control over these appendages, and it is theorized that each tentacle has its own complex nervous system allowing for independent action. However, the length takes its toll, and it is very easy to break a tentacle off from the kraken—though the tentacle can continue to act on its own for several hours after being severed.
Kraken have two types of primary appendages. The larger, but less plentiful, tentacles are able to grab prey and drag them into the depths, though their strength is not noteworthy. These tentacles, as well as the kraken's main body, are dark in color and ringed with bright, bioluminescent stripes. The more plentiful tendrils are translucent and as thin as whips, and carry a highly dangerous venom.
On contact with a victim, the whiplike tentacles can transfer a high dose of venom to the kraken's prey. This venom has an intoxicating effect, resulting in slow reaction time, weakness, lessened ability to sense pain and fear, and loopiness. Most relevantly, those affected have an uncontrollable urge to chase after bright colors and lights, including the kraken's own bioluminescent stripes.
With prey secured and lacking the desire to escape, the kraken can drag it down to its mouth without fear of injury or losing its prey. Due to their large size, kraken need to eat almost constantly, and will try to consume any creature that enters their reach.
Kraken are not strictly motionless. They have several small foot-like appendages at their base, buried in substrate, which allow for locomotion. However, moving runs the risk of breaking tentacles as the kraken grows, and since little short of a Deep Sea Serpent can pose a threat to a sufficiently large kraken, they seldom have reason to migrate.
Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
Kraken reproduce asexually. A kraken of sufficient size may eject a cloud of larva from its mouth at any time, leaving them to find their own lairs or be eaten by other creatures. Typically, kraken need several months between spawning events, but it is currently unknown whether this is an imperative or simply born of a desire to consume more matter to make up for the energy put into reproduction.
Growth Rate & Stages
Kraken begin life as pale-colored larva about the size of a mortal hand, with no senses beyond the ability to detect the direction and intensity of light. These larva have an instinctive urge to flee their location and to devour any organic matter they come into contact with, resulting in the larva cloud becoming a quickly-dissipating mass of sibling cannibalism moments after the spawning event.
If a larva makes it far enough away from its parent without being eaten by another larva or a filter-feeding creature, it begins to seek darkness, which usually results in it burying itself in the seafloor. Once buried, the larva matures into a polyp, feeding on small creatures and bits of organic matter that float by. As it feeds, it grows, and as it grows, it darkens in color.
Eventually, the kraken finishes changing color and develops the bioluminescent stripes and venom of an adult kraken. While it is relatively small at this stage—only a few feet in diameter—it is nonetheless considered to have reached maturity.
If a larva makes it far enough away from its parent without being eaten by another larva or a filter-feeding creature, it begins to seek darkness, which usually results in it burying itself in the seafloor. Once buried, the larva matures into a polyp, feeding on small creatures and bits of organic matter that float by. As it feeds, it grows, and as it grows, it darkens in color.
Eventually, the kraken finishes changing color and develops the bioluminescent stripes and venom of an adult kraken. While it is relatively small at this stage—only a few feet in diameter—it is nonetheless considered to have reached maturity.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Kraken eat anything that crosses their path of a certain size, which varies depending on how high up the prey lives. Near the seafloor, they'll grab almost any fish that passes by, but it takes so much energy to drag prey down from the surface that it's not worth capturing anything smaller than a large shark or small whale... or an entire ship full of mortal sailors.
Lifespan
300 years
Average Height
20 ft. at maturity, longest tentacles can be upwards of 10,000 ft. at full growth
Average Length
3 ft. in diameter at maturity, upwards of 50 ft. at full growth
Geographic Distribution
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